We interrupt your regular BSG fangirling to bring you this Doctor Who appreciation life special
I didn't expect it to happen. Hell, I didn't even WANT it to happen. BUT IT HAPPENED. I have fangirly FEELINGS for Doctor Who. The kind of feelings where you can't wait to run out and watch everything that everyone who has been on the show has ever done. The kind of feelings where you want to read all the fanfic and look at all the icons and save all the gifs. You guys, these are the feelings I have. Don't get me wrong, nothing will replace BSG in my heart of hearts and it will always be the stick by which I measure all my fangirly endeavors but I truly fell in love with these characters in a very similar fashion and I have no regrets.
The thing that strikes me so much about what I feel is that this show is very "family friendly" in very many ways. I could easily sit down and watch Doctor Who with just about anyone and there would be something for everyone to enjoy. Going in I really didn't think I would get so emotionally involved because it was about aliens and what not (also how I felt about Farscape too) but in the end Doctor Who took up residency right next door to BSG in my heart. WHO KNEW? I blame Dragon*Con for this rabid fangirlishness. If the registration line had moved quicker my girls never would have convinced me to watch. So thank you D*C, you are officially a life ruiner (as if it wasn't already).
The following cuts are ridiculously gif / Susan's rambling and wordy thoughts heavy. No really...I'm not lying. I just couldn't decide what to add and leave out so I included them all with NO REGRETS. Please continue to love me anyway.
ETA: SPOILER HEAVY. If you haven't watched the show and are planning to then you should run away now but DEFINITELY come back once you have and flail! You won't regret it. I promise!
It took me until episode 8 to really fall in love with the show as a whole. I loved Rose right off the bat and all her insecurities and bravery. She was just so real and I think Billie Piper was pretty damn awesome. Father's Day was the episode that just wiggled its way into my heart. It was so emotional and beautiful and I finally felt more than just "wow these people are cool" for the characters. I wanted them all to be ok and to find peace and love and all that happy stuff. Nine was really goofy to me up until that point. Which I think was definitely part of Nine's charm and important to the Doctor's overall journey, we met him when he was used to being alone for so long. You almost needed to dislike him so that you could appreciate his emotional transformation because of having Rose along. So while I didn't love Christopher Eccleston I think his portrayal of the Doctor was exactly what it needed to be to start the show. I was attached to him by the end because of how he felt about Rose and when she saved him and then he saved her...an OTP was born in my heart.
However, Nine was about to turn into Ten.
So yeah, I've heard people say "XXXX is MY Doctor" and I never really understood what these people were talking about. I mean they're all the same dude right? OH MY GODS WAS I SO WRONG. WRONGER THAN WRONG. I had no idea what was about to happen to me. I was (as @markdoesstuff likes to say) SO UNPREPARED. TEN IS AND WILL FOREVER BE MY DOCTOR. I LIVE A TENTH DOCTOR APPRECIATION LIFE NOW. David Tennant....what can I say about you other than I LOVE YOUR FACE and everything you choose to be. He's magnificent like sunshine, rainbows and puppy dogs. I want him to be in all the things. No really, it only took like 2 weeks for him to take the number 2 spot on my tv boyfriend list. Second only to Bamber (and you all know how I feel about Bamber).
*cough* ok...now I should probably talk about the show.
I really loved Ten's entire run. Part of that was because I loved Ten's crazy unpredictable nature and his brooding intensity. He had so much anger below the surface but he definitely wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn't nearly as slick as he liked to think he was. I loved seeing Rose come into her own during S2...she wasn't just his companion. She changed the Doctor, she gave him feelings, she gave him humanity, she gave him unconditional love regardless of how stubborn/silly/angsty he was. They gave each other the BEST hugs. She made him a better in all the ways. (Obvs they are my DW OTP).
Some of my fav S2 moments:
New Earth
The Idiots Lantern (Ten's hair! Rose's dress!)
The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit
Just when I was on top of the biggest Ten/Rose shipper high the 2 part season finale happened. I WAS WOEFULLY UNPREPARED. TOTALLY UNSPOILED. By the end I was ugly crying and cursing everyone who told me to watch this show. No really, I hated you all. I almost stopped watching but thistleandfi talked me off the ledge and convinced me to trust you guys even after watching *SPOILERS* ROSE TYLER MOTHERFRAKKING POOFED TO A PARALLEL UNIVERSE THAT WAS SEALED OFF TO THE DOCTOR. She was there and then she was gone and Rose and the Doctor were in the same place at the same time in 2 different timelines and watching the following broken something inside me.
Once I recovered from this fucking tragedy of my life in which I was never going to fully accept because there is no way my friends would do this to me twice. I was able to move on to S3 which I think of as the "Poor Freema she had to follow Billie" season. First things first. I LOVE MARTHA JONES. She was a top notch companion and I think its shitty how much wank I saw posted around her time. She was awesome and she saved everyone and everything (including the Doctor) over and over again. She definitely lacked respect from what I can tell. I can imagine it was hard for the writers to have to find the right amount of Ten!angst over the loss of Rose and then also him moving along like business as usual. It didn't always work IMO but overall the season is very enjoyable because of Freema. She was definitely badass, brave, strong and held her own and I really enjoyed her. Also Ten/Martha/Jack are my favorite Doctor/Companion 3-way. They were amazing together! (I don't have enough Jack gifs...but seriously I love him too)
Let's take a quick second to appreciate the flawless Martha Jones
Other S3 favorites (with and without gifs)
The Shakespeare Code - "Expelliarmus!" "Good old JK!" "Just wait until you read book 7...oh how I cried!" I just couldn't with the Harry Potter references. SO CUTE!
The Family of Blood - HUMAN TEN. So he kind of overacted some of the parts but I can't even care about that. Freema was amazing, David tore out my heart and stomped all over it with his ugly crying. My heart broke for him.
Blink - Whatever you do....DON'T BLINK. The scariest bit of television ever. I will side eye all statues until the day I die now. Thanks show!
DONNA NOBLE Y'ALL. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT DONNA NOBLE. She's the companion I love the most out of Ten's run. Ten/Donna are the best BFF's ever. She's the character I think I identified with the most and instantly loved her. She's so insecure about herself and never thinks she's good enough but she puts up the bravest front and is bold and brash when really she just wants her life to mean something. I like really really love her guys and I'm probably never going to be able to do justice to my feelings for her. I can't even discuss my feelings about how her arc ended because I'll cry. I absolutely understand why Ten had to do what he did but it just made me so incredibly sad she lost the memories and proof that she was indeed the most important woman in the world for many reasons. Because of her worlds survived, the TARDIS was saved, The Doctor and all his companions were saved, and because of her the Doctor was able to grab on to something he never thought he could (even if it was in a roundabout way)
I salute you my fearless Goddess Donna Noble. At least you have that winning lottery ticket and I hope you used it to treat yourself to all the amazing things you deserved. (Also, Catherine Tate for all the wins...she is FABULOUS)
The rest of Season 4 was me constantly begging Fi to tell me when/if he was going to see Rose again because her popping up on all the computer screens was such a tease. I could not fathom that he wouldn't see her before the end. It was so nervous as the season ticked by.
Favorite S4 moments
The Planet of the Ood - The DoctorDonna....THEY KNEW!!!
The Doctor's Daughter - MY HEART. Oh Jenny! Ten's faces! His reluctance to accept her and then when he finally does. SO BEAUTIFUL. I wish that he had been able to find her again since she lived (maybe he will one day!) *Side note* I had NO IDEA that David Tennant was dating/had a baby with the chick that played Jenny and even better that she's the daughter of another former Doctor. My mind was blown when I was told this but good on her. Congratulations Georgia Moffett....you win at life!
Silence in the Library/Planet of the Dead - RIVER SONG! RIIIIIIIIVER! I loved loved loved loved this arc. How fantastic was this concept? The Doctor is introduced to his future that he has no idea about. The diary! Spoilers! Her general fabulousness. I just thought this was amazing storytelling. You wanted to know all about her past/his future and how/when/where they will have met. It was a great way for me to really look forward to Eleven because I knew I would be meeting River again. Now that I have seen S5/S6 I really need to go back and watch these episodes. RETCONNING DONE RIGHT! A+ writers!
Turn Left - I just can't. This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. Donna Noble....DONNA! Life can change with the smallest of decisions. Make the correct turn and you could be responsible for saving the world. Also...ROSE TYLER. MY HEART! I SEE YOU THERE. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I APPROVE.
The Stolen Earth / Journey's End - MY CREYS YOU GUYS. SO MANY FEELINGS. I AM SORRY BUT I AM CAPSLOCKY.
Things that make me swoon - THE RUNNING (this is what I call this scene). Look at their faces, look at how happy they are. Look at how freaking THRILLED he is to see her. Also, I love the fact that he's grilling Donna for info about Rose and she's all "why don't you ask her" and then he turns around and everything is beautiful and nothing hurts (until the Dalek comes along and kills the Doctor) but for a minute there I was so damn excited. I wish I had saved the convo Fi and I had while watching it. I was such a spaz.
and then a bunch of stuff happens and the creation of Ten2 or 10.5 (or whatever you want to call him) is created due to the metacrisis and sure it's hokey and sure's its a little weird that there is two of them but after my initial "REALLY?! :/" reaction I'm ok with how it ended. I had a hard time with at first. It seemed so cheap, sending Rose back to her universe with his clone (who just happened to be half human and would age with her) was too convenient and neat but I guess I can also see the comfort/closure it brings to the Ten/Rose story. There was no way the real Doctor could have ever been with her for good, everyone knows that from day one. Nothing about their relationship was normal so this didn't need to be either. The Doctor could give her and himself a piece of the happiness they never thought they could have. I can see how that would give him peace knowing that part of him was out there happy with Rose Tyler. Much better than thinking about her being alone and regretting her time with him. For Rose, she was able to have the best parts of the Doctor. The part that loved her fully and could be with her for as long as their lives would allow. The weight of the universe off his shoulders. She deserved that too after everything she gave up for him. So in the end, I really understand why people don't like it but I think it's a great compromise for the people who shipped them so hard *raises hand* (and an ending that is totally acceptable when you've had to endure shipping Starbuck/Apollo and their ending...IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE BEEN THIS LUCKY)
I also think the final Ten send off with "The End of Time" special was exactly the best bit of closure we could have with the character. By the last special you knew it was time for him to go. He had lost his way and he was able to make things right and say goodbye to all the people he loved. But yeah, I cried at the end. "I think you're going to have a great year" OF COURSE HE GOES THERE LAST. Then there was the Ood "This song is ending, by the story never ends" and I was crying harder. but it wasn't even that...it was this that made me SOB LIKE A BABY:
Neither did I Ten, neither did I. :(
OK people, I have about 100 other gifs I want to use so let's turn this into a WHO appreciation post. SHOW ME ALL THE THINGS, LINK ME TO ALL THE FANFIC, TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE THINGS, MAKE ME THE BEST DOCTOR WHO FANGIRL I CAN BE. I BEG YOU.
PS....I will do a separate Season 5/6 appreciation post later this week because I really love Eleven and The Ponds (THE PONDS YOU GUYS....SO PRESH) and of course the ultimate HBIC...RIVER SONG. They deserve their own lovefest. I will bring it!
The thing that strikes me so much about what I feel is that this show is very "family friendly" in very many ways. I could easily sit down and watch Doctor Who with just about anyone and there would be something for everyone to enjoy. Going in I really didn't think I would get so emotionally involved because it was about aliens and what not (also how I felt about Farscape too) but in the end Doctor Who took up residency right next door to BSG in my heart. WHO KNEW? I blame Dragon*Con for this rabid fangirlishness. If the registration line had moved quicker my girls never would have convinced me to watch. So thank you D*C, you are officially a life ruiner (as if it wasn't already).
The following cuts are ridiculously gif / Susan's rambling and wordy thoughts heavy. No really...I'm not lying. I just couldn't decide what to add and leave out so I included them all with NO REGRETS. Please continue to love me anyway.
ETA: SPOILER HEAVY. If you haven't watched the show and are planning to then you should run away now but DEFINITELY come back once you have and flail! You won't regret it. I promise!
It took me until episode 8 to really fall in love with the show as a whole. I loved Rose right off the bat and all her insecurities and bravery. She was just so real and I think Billie Piper was pretty damn awesome. Father's Day was the episode that just wiggled its way into my heart. It was so emotional and beautiful and I finally felt more than just "wow these people are cool" for the characters. I wanted them all to be ok and to find peace and love and all that happy stuff. Nine was really goofy to me up until that point. Which I think was definitely part of Nine's charm and important to the Doctor's overall journey, we met him when he was used to being alone for so long. You almost needed to dislike him so that you could appreciate his emotional transformation because of having Rose along. So while I didn't love Christopher Eccleston I think his portrayal of the Doctor was exactly what it needed to be to start the show. I was attached to him by the end because of how he felt about Rose and when she saved him and then he saved her...an OTP was born in my heart.
However, Nine was about to turn into Ten.
So yeah, I've heard people say "XXXX is MY Doctor" and I never really understood what these people were talking about. I mean they're all the same dude right? OH MY GODS WAS I SO WRONG. WRONGER THAN WRONG. I had no idea what was about to happen to me. I was (as @markdoesstuff likes to say) SO UNPREPARED. TEN IS AND WILL FOREVER BE MY DOCTOR. I LIVE A TENTH DOCTOR APPRECIATION LIFE NOW. David Tennant....what can I say about you other than I LOVE YOUR FACE and everything you choose to be. He's magnificent like sunshine, rainbows and puppy dogs. I want him to be in all the things. No really, it only took like 2 weeks for him to take the number 2 spot on my tv boyfriend list. Second only to Bamber (and you all know how I feel about Bamber).
*cough* ok...now I should probably talk about the show.
I really loved Ten's entire run. Part of that was because I loved Ten's crazy unpredictable nature and his brooding intensity. He had so much anger below the surface but he definitely wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn't nearly as slick as he liked to think he was. I loved seeing Rose come into her own during S2...she wasn't just his companion. She changed the Doctor, she gave him feelings, she gave him humanity, she gave him unconditional love regardless of how stubborn/silly/angsty he was. They gave each other the BEST hugs. She made him a better in all the ways. (Obvs they are my DW OTP).
Some of my fav S2 moments:
New Earth
The Idiots Lantern (Ten's hair! Rose's dress!)
The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit
Just when I was on top of the biggest Ten/Rose shipper high the 2 part season finale happened. I WAS WOEFULLY UNPREPARED. TOTALLY UNSPOILED. By the end I was ugly crying and cursing everyone who told me to watch this show. No really, I hated you all. I almost stopped watching but thistleandfi talked me off the ledge and convinced me to trust you guys even after watching *SPOILERS* ROSE TYLER MOTHERFRAKKING POOFED TO A PARALLEL UNIVERSE THAT WAS SEALED OFF TO THE DOCTOR. She was there and then she was gone and Rose and the Doctor were in the same place at the same time in 2 different timelines and watching the following broken something inside me.
Once I recovered from this fucking tragedy of my life in which I was never going to fully accept because there is no way my friends would do this to me twice. I was able to move on to S3 which I think of as the "Poor Freema she had to follow Billie" season. First things first. I LOVE MARTHA JONES. She was a top notch companion and I think its shitty how much wank I saw posted around her time. She was awesome and she saved everyone and everything (including the Doctor) over and over again. She definitely lacked respect from what I can tell. I can imagine it was hard for the writers to have to find the right amount of Ten!angst over the loss of Rose and then also him moving along like business as usual. It didn't always work IMO but overall the season is very enjoyable because of Freema. She was definitely badass, brave, strong and held her own and I really enjoyed her. Also Ten/Martha/Jack are my favorite Doctor/Companion 3-way. They were amazing together! (I don't have enough Jack gifs...but seriously I love him too)
Let's take a quick second to appreciate the flawless Martha Jones
Other S3 favorites (with and without gifs)
The Shakespeare Code - "Expelliarmus!" "Good old JK!" "Just wait until you read book 7...oh how I cried!" I just couldn't with the Harry Potter references. SO CUTE!
The Family of Blood - HUMAN TEN. So he kind of overacted some of the parts but I can't even care about that. Freema was amazing, David tore out my heart and stomped all over it with his ugly crying. My heart broke for him.
Blink - Whatever you do....DON'T BLINK. The scariest bit of television ever. I will side eye all statues until the day I die now. Thanks show!
DONNA NOBLE Y'ALL. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT DONNA NOBLE. She's the companion I love the most out of Ten's run. Ten/Donna are the best BFF's ever. She's the character I think I identified with the most and instantly loved her. She's so insecure about herself and never thinks she's good enough but she puts up the bravest front and is bold and brash when really she just wants her life to mean something. I like really really love her guys and I'm probably never going to be able to do justice to my feelings for her. I can't even discuss my feelings about how her arc ended because I'll cry. I absolutely understand why Ten had to do what he did but it just made me so incredibly sad she lost the memories and proof that she was indeed the most important woman in the world for many reasons. Because of her worlds survived, the TARDIS was saved, The Doctor and all his companions were saved, and because of her the Doctor was able to grab on to something he never thought he could (even if it was in a roundabout way)
I salute you my fearless Goddess Donna Noble. At least you have that winning lottery ticket and I hope you used it to treat yourself to all the amazing things you deserved. (Also, Catherine Tate for all the wins...she is FABULOUS)
The rest of Season 4 was me constantly begging Fi to tell me when/if he was going to see Rose again because her popping up on all the computer screens was such a tease. I could not fathom that he wouldn't see her before the end. It was so nervous as the season ticked by.
Favorite S4 moments
The Planet of the Ood - The DoctorDonna....THEY KNEW!!!
The Doctor's Daughter - MY HEART. Oh Jenny! Ten's faces! His reluctance to accept her and then when he finally does. SO BEAUTIFUL. I wish that he had been able to find her again since she lived (maybe he will one day!) *Side note* I had NO IDEA that David Tennant was dating/had a baby with the chick that played Jenny and even better that she's the daughter of another former Doctor. My mind was blown when I was told this but good on her. Congratulations Georgia Moffett....you win at life!
Silence in the Library/Planet of the Dead - RIVER SONG! RIIIIIIIIVER! I loved loved loved loved this arc. How fantastic was this concept? The Doctor is introduced to his future that he has no idea about. The diary! Spoilers! Her general fabulousness. I just thought this was amazing storytelling. You wanted to know all about her past/his future and how/when/where they will have met. It was a great way for me to really look forward to Eleven because I knew I would be meeting River again. Now that I have seen S5/S6 I really need to go back and watch these episodes. RETCONNING DONE RIGHT! A+ writers!
Turn Left - I just can't. This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. Donna Noble....DONNA! Life can change with the smallest of decisions. Make the correct turn and you could be responsible for saving the world. Also...ROSE TYLER. MY HEART! I SEE YOU THERE. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I APPROVE.
The Stolen Earth / Journey's End - MY CREYS YOU GUYS. SO MANY FEELINGS. I AM SORRY BUT I AM CAPSLOCKY.
Things that make me swoon - THE RUNNING (this is what I call this scene). Look at their faces, look at how happy they are. Look at how freaking THRILLED he is to see her. Also, I love the fact that he's grilling Donna for info about Rose and she's all "why don't you ask her" and then he turns around and everything is beautiful and nothing hurts (until the Dalek comes along and kills the Doctor) but for a minute there I was so damn excited. I wish I had saved the convo Fi and I had while watching it. I was such a spaz.
and then a bunch of stuff happens and the creation of Ten2 or 10.5 (or whatever you want to call him) is created due to the metacrisis and sure it's hokey and sure's its a little weird that there is two of them but after my initial "REALLY?! :/" reaction I'm ok with how it ended. I had a hard time with at first. It seemed so cheap, sending Rose back to her universe with his clone (who just happened to be half human and would age with her) was too convenient and neat but I guess I can also see the comfort/closure it brings to the Ten/Rose story. There was no way the real Doctor could have ever been with her for good, everyone knows that from day one. Nothing about their relationship was normal so this didn't need to be either. The Doctor could give her and himself a piece of the happiness they never thought they could have. I can see how that would give him peace knowing that part of him was out there happy with Rose Tyler. Much better than thinking about her being alone and regretting her time with him. For Rose, she was able to have the best parts of the Doctor. The part that loved her fully and could be with her for as long as their lives would allow. The weight of the universe off his shoulders. She deserved that too after everything she gave up for him. So in the end, I really understand why people don't like it but I think it's a great compromise for the people who shipped them so hard *raises hand* (and an ending that is totally acceptable when you've had to endure shipping Starbuck/Apollo and their ending...IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE BEEN THIS LUCKY)
I also think the final Ten send off with "The End of Time" special was exactly the best bit of closure we could have with the character. By the last special you knew it was time for him to go. He had lost his way and he was able to make things right and say goodbye to all the people he loved. But yeah, I cried at the end. "I think you're going to have a great year" OF COURSE HE GOES THERE LAST. Then there was the Ood "This song is ending, by the story never ends" and I was crying harder. but it wasn't even that...it was this that made me SOB LIKE A BABY:
Neither did I Ten, neither did I. :(
OK people, I have about 100 other gifs I want to use so let's turn this into a WHO appreciation post. SHOW ME ALL THE THINGS, LINK ME TO ALL THE FANFIC, TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE THINGS, MAKE ME THE BEST DOCTOR WHO FANGIRL I CAN BE. I BEG YOU.
PS....I will do a separate Season 5/6 appreciation post later this week because I really love Eleven and The Ponds (THE PONDS YOU GUYS....SO PRESH) and of course the ultimate HBIC...RIVER SONG. They deserve their own lovefest. I will bring it!